Toy Lore
by Evelyn Knight
Summary: Through the twist and turns of fate, the toys have been bought by different people over the years and have not met till now. Can they still get along and save their new owner from what we call just folklore?
1. The past and the present

Toy Lore

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own any and all original characters.

Circa, the nineteen fifties.

Her face was expressionless as she packed up the various toys. She packed them with care though, something the toys were grateful for even if some of them didn't understand why.

The last toy to be packed up was a doll. A cowgirl doll whose name was Jessie. The woman who was packing up the toys looked at Jessie with such sadness that it took all of Jessie's inner will power to keep herself from breaking character before offering the woman whatever comfort she could. And, before Jessie knew it, she was placed in the box with the rest of her friends with only years and years of utter darkness to come to look forward to.

The present:

Everyone kept telling Will and Else Tompkins that they were crazy for wanting to move with their five year old daughter Rose from America to The Isle of Wight in the UK to turn an old family manor (from Will's side of the family) into an hotel. But a dream was a dream, so this built the barriers in their minds that kept the comments from creeping into their cores. It had always been their dream to open and run a hotel.

...

And the manor house was just perfect for that. It had been standing empty except for the caretaker and his wife. The manor was in good shape, but it would take some work to convert the manor into a hotel, though that was half the fun for the Tompkins'.

Mrs. Hobbes, the caretaker's wife, was by no means any kind of computer or tech wiz. But, thanks to her grown children as well as her grandchildren, she knew how to use a computer and send email. And she also knew that up in the attic of the manor house, several boxes filled with toys that a little girl would just love, were located. Yes, they may be a bit outdated being from the nineteen fifties and would be considered collectables by some, but they were made as toys and, in Mrs. Hobbes opinion, toys were made to be played with. So Mrs. Hobbes emailed Mrs. Tompkins, asking if she'd like her to bring down the old toys and put them in little Rose's new room. Mrs. Tompkins, who always had a soft spot for old toys, was delighted by the idea and wrote Mrs. Hobbes back, replying positively and thanking Mrs. Hobbes for the offer.

Mr. Hobbes grumbled as he and his wife made their way up the attic steps.

"What's wrong with you?" His wife asked him.

"I think it's disrespectful!" He stated, stamping his foot.

"You mean turning the manor into an hotel?" Mrs. Hobbes asked her husband.

"No, giving away her toys," He told her.

"You old fool!" Mrs. Hobbes stated. "She's been gone for over a decade, not to mention that the child is a relative of hers!"

"Well I don't like it anyway!"

"Well, if you don't like it so much, don't help then!"

…

Seeing Mrs. Hobbes' face after being shut up in the box for so long was a surprise for Jessie, but not an unpleasant one. Of course, she had no idea who the old woman was. But her face seemed kind and cheerful. It took Jessie a moment to realize she was in her owner's old room, and she was left slightly bewildered. Why was she back here? And what about her friends? Jessie hoped they'd come out of the boxes too, since they had all been in there for so long. She was being carried over to the bed now and was then placed on the pillow - her old spot. She watched Mrs. Hobbes (or the old woman as Jessie was calling her in her mind) take out the rest of the toys Jessie had been in her box with.

Jessie had been in the box with the stuffed animals. Jessie had always thought of them as being her critters. The Bunny Rabbit named Twitchy, the Basset hound named Rupert, Mother Goss, the Goss, Tammy the bear and Lily the Tiger. Jessie felt relief dart through her when she saw that they were being placed at the foot of the bed. The next box opened contained dolls; Jessie's friends. Out came a doll case first.

_'Poor Ginny, Ginger and Muffie,'_ Jessie thought sadly. '_They must be sick of each other by now, having been stuck in that doll case together for so long.'_

After Mrs. Hobbes took them out and set them up, she opened another doll case.

_'Oh, there's Jill, Jan and Little Miss Revlon!'_ Jessie thought thankfully, excited to see her old friends once again_. 'I hope they didn't get into any fights.' A_nd then came out the last doll case_. 'Jeff must be going out of his mind having only baby Ginette and baby Jimmy for company. I hope he remembers how to speak. I hope I can remember how to speak!_' Jessie thought, now slightly panicked.

Soon Mrs. Hobbes set up all the doll furniture and laid out the doll clothes as well. Mr. Hobbes came into the room carrying Nelly the spring horse.

"What are you doing in here with that?" Mrs. Hobbes asked her husband.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He shot back, indicating her to help him set the spring horse down.

"I thought you were against giving her toys away?"

_'What? Giving us away?'_ Jessie thought anxiously as panic ran through her again. _'I hope we'll all stay together!'_

Mr. Hobbes said nothing and instead just made a funny breathing sound through his nose. "The springs are bit rusted, but I'll clean them up tomorrow," He said.

"That'll be fine," Mrs. Hobbes said. Jessie noticed that there seemed to be a certain kind of coldness hanging between them. _'I wonder if they had a fight.'_ Jessie wondered to herself.

"I see you're giving Rose her jewellery box too," Mr. Hobbes commented.

"I see no sense in having it stay up in the attic gathering dust," Mrs. Hobbes told him. Mr. Hobbes again made that funny sound.

Once everything was set up the Hobbes left the room, turning off the light behind him. Jessie and the rest of the toys stretched.

"My legs hurt, but I'm glad to be out of that doll case," Jill said. The other dolls nodded in agreement.

"Jessie, what's going on?" Asked Ginny.

"I'm not sure," Jessie answered, making her way over to the dresser where the jewellery box was. "But I think," She began, opening the jewellery box which had a little ballerina inside that would twirl around if wound up. She stretched and smiled when she saw Jessie. "We're getting a new owner."

"But Melissa is our owner!" Muffie cried.

"Melissa's gone Muffie, you know that," Jessie said sadly.

"But maybe she'll come back?" Muffie suggested hopefully.

"She can't come back," Jessie told them, trying to keep her voice even. She couldn't really blame Muffie for not understanding though. Muffie, Ginny and Ginger were eight inches high and made as little girls. Jessie figured that they were somewhere between the mental ages of five and eight. Jan, Jill, Jeff and Little Miss Revlon were around her height and had been made as teenagers somewhere between the mental ages of fifteen and eighteen. Closer to her mental age the Cowgirl had figured, as Jessie had roughly placed her own mental age between the ages of eighteen and twenty one. And of course baby Ginette and baby Jimmy were babies, but they were the same height as Ginny and the other little girl dolls.

"How long were we put away for?" Ginger asked.

"I don't know," Jessie admitted. "There's a calendar on the wall, let's go see. Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln!" Jessie exclaimed when she saw the calendar date. "We ain't even in the nineteen hundreds anymore!"

"Goo ba ga boo goo?" Jeff spoke up.

"Huh?" Murmured Jessie, confused as to why the teenaged boy doll was speaking in baby gibberish.

"Jeff!" Snapped Jill. "You are not a baby doll! Speak real words!"

Jeff shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "Sorry," He mumbled. "But if you've been stuck with two baby dolls for over a decade, you'd be speaking in baby talk too!" He snapped at Jill.

"What was it you were asking, Jeff," Jessie asked him, hoping to stop him and Jill from fighting.

"Oh, I said I was wondering whether they have flying cars yet."

"Don't know," Jessie simply stated.

"I wonder what has changed since we've been away." Said Jan.

"I wonder if toys have changed." Uttered Little Miss Revlon.

_'I wonder when Rose is coming,'_ Jessie said to herself.

A/N This looks like a good place to stop. All of Jessie's doll friends are real dolls from the nineteen fifties. In fact Ginny is still made today. A/N


	2. Something coming

Toy Lore

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own any and all original characters.

Elsewhere back in America,

There were two things Woody the Sheriff doll wanted in his life more than anything else. The first was to be played with again and the second thing he wanted more than anything else in the world was to be able to meet a 'Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl' doll. But being in an antique toy store, he wasn't sure if either would ever happen for him, unfortunately.

His 'life' had been a good one, having been bought and played with in the nineteen fifties and then being handed down and given away to all sorts of people over the years until he wound up finding himself at the antique toy store. It wasn't so bad here though; it was here that he had learned about himself and his TV show named 'Woody's Round Up' and he had met Bullseye his horse and Stinky Pete the Prospector. He had also learned about Jessie from a doll collector's book and through watching Woody's Round Up episodes on You Tube when the shop closed for the night. Ever since Woody had met Bullseye and Pete and had learned about himself it had been as though a hole inside himself had been filling up, but yet not complete; for he knew that Jessie was needed to fill up that hole. Pete would often tease Woody over the fact that he was sweet on the cowgirl, to which Woody would simply reply how could he be sweet on someone he's never even met? But still, though, he wanted to meet her. She had such a pretty face and she seemed like so much fun on the TV show. Woody often wondered what she'd be like in person.

…

A few blocks away in a cardboard box in a garage were a group of toys.

"I can't believe we're going to be sold," Moaned a Princess Mira Nova of Star Command doll.

"I know," Bemoaned Buzz Lightyear. "I thought he loved me!" He cried, banging his fist against the wall of the box.

"Buzz, I…"Mira began.

"Wasn't I the favorite toy?" Buzz questioned expectantly, ignoring Mira. "And now I'm going to be sold!"

"Buzz, what's going to happen if we get bought by different people?" Mira asked him.

"That's easy Mira," Buzz answered simply, turning to face her.

"It is?" She asked.

"Of course it is! We have to be the best toy we can for whatever little boy or girl who should happen to buy one of us. You should know that."

"That's not what I meant! What I meant was I'll miss you if that happens. Won't you miss me?"

"Of course I will. Mira, you and I are friends," He told her.

"Is that all I am to you?" Mira asked him softly, looking deep into Buzz's eyes in the hopes of getting her message across to him.

"Well you are my second in command," He told her, oblivious to the true feelings of love she felt for him.

"Oh Buzz, aren't I anything else?" Mira asked him, her face inches away from his.

"You're a princess too," He said, his voice sounding rather deadpan.

"Oh Buzz!" Mira cried, burying her head in his chest. Why couldn't he understand?

"Don't cry Mira, I understand," Buzz murmured softly, stroking her hair.

"You do?" Mira asked, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.

"I'm going to miss the others too," He said.

Mira forced herself not to sigh, he just didn't get it.

"Come on," Buzz said. "Let's sit with the others and talk about old times."

…

It was the day of the big move and the Tompkins' were doing some last minute shopping. Buying some toys for Rose when they realized they had packed up the toys she had to leave her with nothing but a few coloring books to occupy her during the flight.

Will went to the block sale and Else went to the antique toy store. Will was a good father and he loved his wife and daughter very much. But when it came right down to it, he just wasn't sure what kind of toys a five year old girl would like, which was mainly the reason why he bought a bunch of things. A toy dinosaur from one table, a piggybank from another, a Mr. Potato Head from end of the block, a Mrs. Potato Head from the other end. He bought Buzz and Mira from the middle table a Slinky Dog from a table across and then a Little Bo Peep lamp from another house.

Else had never been to the antique toy store before, but she had always wanted to and since she was leaving the country, she realized that this was going to be her last chance. As she browsed the shelves, she caught sight of the western trio.

"Oh, how cute!" She exclaimed delightfully, picking them up.

"Ah those would be the Woody's Round Up dolls," The store keeper said. "It's an incomplete set though."

"Oh?" Murmured Else, slightly confused.

"Don't get me wrong, the dolls are complete. But there's one doll missing. Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl," The storeowner then went on to tell Else all about Woody's Round Up.

"Sounds like a cute show," Else commented. "I'd like buy these for my little girl."

Excitement filled the three toys and envy filled the others in the store.

"I'm sure she'll love them. They still work if you want to test them out."

'Anybody seen my pick?' Pete's voice box said, clear and fine.

'There's a snake in my boot,' Came Woody's voice box, crisp and clear.

"I also have a little doll sized Woody's Round Up guitar I could throw in," The storeowner said.

Woody was beyond happy over the fact that he, Bullseye and Pete had been bought together instead of being separated from each other. Not to mention that his guitar had been come along with them as well, since he absolutely loved playing that thing. Nevertheless, the hole still wasn't full as yet. Since he still hoped that someday he'd meet a Jessie doll.

When Rose saw the toys her parents had purchased for her, she hadn't been able to help herself as she gravitated towards the ones her mother had bought her. She had nothing against the ones her father had bought. She couldn't wait to brush and style Mira's hair and see if any of Barbie's dresses fitted her. And, since her friends had Mr. and Mrs. Potato Heads, she knew the toy spuds were fun to play with. But Rose liked soft and cuddly toys the best and the ones her mother had bought her were just that, especially Bullseye whom she was hugging right now.

And being hugged by a child again filled Bullseye's heart with such joy. Woody and Pete were soft and cuddly too and they talked as well; though, to be fair, so did Buzz and Mira, but they had buttons that made them talk - not pull-strings and pull-strings were more fun. So Buzz and the others were placed in a carrier bag whilst Rose played with Woody, Bullseye and Pete on the plane.

…

Back at the manor during the night, Jessie walked around Melissa's old bedroom, checking on the other toys that were sleeping. Whilst none of them had said anything to her, Jessie suspected that they had nightmares. Sometimes, though, she'd find one of them awake.

Jeff, being a boy, was too proud to say anything to her when she would find him awake. Jill, Jan and Little Miss Revlon most likely felt too grown up to tell her about the nightmares any of them might have had. Ginny, Ginger,and Muffie never wanted to tell her why any of them were awake. Probably not wanting to think about the bad dreams they had. And the babies - well - they couldn't talk and neither could the critters. Jessie had nightmares too at times, but she couldn't tell the others about them. Sometimes just sitting up with someone was the best thing to do, just sitting in the silence of the night.

But that night the others were asleep, so she had no one to sit with. Jessie climbed up to the window seat and looked out the window, becoming lost in her own thoughts.

_'Oh Melissa_,' Jessie thought. '_I've been feeling so guilty about wanting Rose to come and play with us-me again. It isn't that I've stopped loving you or anything. Because I do love you and I'd give anything to have you play me again. You know that, you must know that!'_ Jessie mentally pleaded. '_It's just…remember when you had chickenpox and you couldn't go outside and you were all itchy? Remember how all you wanted to do was go outside and play and scratch the itches? That's how we all feel Melissa. From being put in storage and not being played with for so long. I promise you that we won't love her more than we loved you, I swear to you I won't. But we need to be played with again. So please don't be hurt or mad if we-I get happy from being played with again. Please don't.'_

Jessie didn't know if Melissa could hear her or not, but she felt a bit better now that she had thought it all out. She sighed lightly as she continued to gaze longingly out the window. It was funny that, even though she hated the darkness now, she still thought it looked beautiful outside at night. Sometimes when Melissa couldn't sleep she'd take Jessie over to the window seat and they'd look outside at the night. Most of the time they'd look for the…

Suddenly, Jessie stood up, and there it was! The unicorn! Just as beautiful as she had remembered. Its white body shining in the moonlight as it ran across the hills. Watching it made Jessie just want to jump out the window and run to it. She wanted to jump on its back and ride forever and ever. Suddenly it stopped running and looked directly at her and, even from the distance, Jessie knew it was looking at her. Boring into the core of her very soul. It was as if it was trying to tell her something. And suddenly Jessie felt very frightened, but not of the unicorn though, but instead of what it was trying to tell her of what was to come.

A/N While if I'd done a good job you ether feel like crying or you have chills up your spine. A/N


	3. Old Friends That have Just Met

Toy Lore

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own any and all original characters.

The toys in Melissa's old room were as nervous as they could be. They had heard the Hobbes say that the new family would be arriving in a few hours, and they were panicking frantically because of it.

"Okay everyone, gather around," Jessie said. "Now, Rose will be coming soon and I thought it'd be a good time to go over the rules. Now I know we've been doing well with the old man and the woman, but they don't come in here that much. Rose is most likely going to coming in and out of here all day. So it's real important that we remember where she left us and not to come alive in front of her." She was really talking to the little ones. But she felt as if, by including the critter, Jill, Jan and Jeff, they wouldn't feel like she was signaling them out.

The others nodded.

"Jessie?" Asked Ginger. "Do you think Rose will be like Melissa?"

"No," Jessie said honestly. "Everyone, as much as we wish that it was Melissa who was going to be playing with us, it's not and we can't expect Rose to be like her. Times have changed and I'm sure little girls have changed too."

…

"Jessie," Jill said a little while later when the meeting was over.

"Yes, Jill?" She asked, wondering what the teenaged fashion doll could want of her.

"I've been thinking about what you said about how the times have changed."

"Yeah, so?"

"Well, what if Rose thinks we're all old and outdated?" Jill questioned solemnly, upsetting herself. "What if-if she has better toys? Prettier dolls with prettier outfits! Or maybe she's a tomboy and doesn't even like dolls or maybe she's like the cousin Melissa used to play with who had pediophobia!"

"Jill," Jessie began with a sigh. "First thing's first! Quit using those big words, you ain't impressing anyone! If you want to say fear of dolls, say fear of dolls. And secondly, you're getting yourself all riled up over nothing. Of course Rose will play with us. We wouldn't have been taken down from the attic if she wasn't going to. It's going to be all right."

"I hope you're right, Jessie. I hope you're right," Jill said, walking away.

"I hope I'm right too," Jessie muttered to herself.

Buzz couldn't believe Rose didn't want to play with him! He was Buzz Lightyear! He was a best selling toy of the year. He talked; he glowed in the dark; and his helmet did that 'whoosh' thingy! And yet Rose had chosen to play with what seemed to be a type of some rag dolls or something like that. It was a true puzzlement. Buzz suppressed a sigh in the fear of being over heard. Mira was sleeping in his arms. She had asked if he'd hold her while she slept. Buzz assumed it was because she was afraid, taking precautions in case they were tossed and end up in an awkward position with one of the other toys. After all, Mira was an officer of Star Command as well as a princess, so she needed to keep her dignity and it was Buzz's duty as an officer and a gentleman to help her protect it.

_'I wonder where we're going.'_ Woody thought as he looked out of the window. Rose had put him, Bullseye and Pete in front of the airplane's window so they could 'look' out. Rose was now coloring. She had made Woody and Pete sing a silly song using their pull-stings and had also made Woody play his guitar during the course of the flight.

The flight attendant announced the plane had reached The Isle of Wight and that it would be landing soon.

_'The Isle of Wight? Where the heck is that?'_ Woody asked himself, feeling slightly bewildered.

…

The moment had arrived: Rose had come. She didn't look anything like Melissa and Jessie wasn't sure if she should be grateful for this or not. Jessie was too busy concentrating on Rose's face to notice the toys she was holding. Rose looked like Shirley Temple when she was little.

"How do you like your new room Rose?" Her mother asked her.

"Are all these toys for me?" Rose asked hopefully as she looked at all the toys. Her eyes lingered on Nelly the spring horse for the longest. Jessie understood why though; Rose could ride on Nelly. Rose placed the toys she was holding on the floor gently and walked to the canopy bed where Jessie was.

"Uh huh," Answered Mrs. Hobbes who had come into the room with the mother and daughter.

"Look Mommy!" Rose said, picking up Jessie. "A cowgirl doll!"

Woody refused to let the searing hope rise up within him. He, Bullseye and Pete had been facing Rose when she came into the room and couldn't see the doll and, now on the floor, he still couldn't see her. For all he knew, the cowgirl doll could just be one of those Little Lulu dolls dressed as one.

"Her name is Jessie," Mrs. Hobbes told her.

'_How did the old woman know my name?_' Jessie wondered as Rose continued to hold her.

Mrs. Hobbes then told Rose the names of the rest of the toys. Meanwhile, on the floor, it was all Woody could do to not break character. The cowgirl doll's name was Jessie and he couldn't help but let the hope sear through him, rising up. Could it be possible that the cowgirl doll named Jessie was his Jessie? Suddenly feeling quite flustered, he mentally slapped himself. Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl was not his. She was from his play-line, she was from his TV show, but she was not his. He was not sweet on her and she could have a boyfriend for all he knew. He had heard the names Jeff and Jimmy mentioned, so either one of the two could be her boyfriend. And then he heard a yodel, concluding his hopes entirely. It was her; a Jessie doll.

"Rose," Else said. "I know you want to play with all your new toys, but let's unpack your clothes and get your room all set up."

"Okay, Mommy!' Rose answered.

She held Jessie the whole time as she helped her mother unpack her clothes. It was strange to be held by a child again after all those years. Will came into the room and unpacked the Bo Peep lamp and plugged it in.

"Oh that's cute," Else said.

"I get something right every now and then," Will told her.

"Yeah you do," Else said affectionately.

Rose's toys, new and old, were unpacked as well. Rose very much wanted to play with them, but she was also getting hungry and it was lunchtime. So she'd have lunch before playtime. Gently placing Jessie down on the floor, Rose left the room and when the toys were sure she was gone they came to life.

Jessie quickly walked over to her friends, not yet brothering to look at the other toys. But Woody saw her.

"Pete, Pete!" Woody whispered urgently. "It's her! It's a Jessie the Yodeling Cowgirl doll!"

"I know son, I saw her too. Aren't you gonna go over and say hello to her?" Pete asked.

"I am," Woody said. "But first, how do I look? I mean, are my hat and holster straight?"

"Why do you care?" Pete asked him.

"Well I can't go over to her looking like I just stopped a saloon fight!" Woody told him.

Pete chuckled. "You look just fine and fit'en for courting!"

"Pete!" Woody snapped.

Meanwhile:

"All right," Jessie said to her friends. "Everyone, let's be nice and make friends with the new toys." Before she could say anything else, she gave a startled cry as she found herself being thrown up in the air before landing on a toy rag horse that began to race around the room.

"See girls and Jimmy," Jeff began. "Jessie has already made friends with that horse. So let's follow her example!" He said before walking over to a Ken doll to introduce himself.

"Bullseye, no!" Woody yelled, chasing after him when he saw what the toy rag horse did.

It didn't take Jessie long to realize that she was riding a toy horse and after she had a good grip on him, she found herself enjoying the ride; but the room was just too crowed.

"Watch out for the baby!" Jessie cried. "Watch out for the other baby!" Relief filled Jessie when Bullseye successfully jumped over both of the babies. "Watch out for what ever that toy is!" Jessie cried as Bullseye nearly ran right into Buzz.

"Bullseye! Bullseye! Stop, but don't throw her!" Woody called as he chased after them. The very first night Woody had been the antique toy store Bullseye had done the exact same thing to him and when he finally got him to stop, it had been a sudden stop sending Woody flying landing in the arms of a Patty Play Pal doll. Boy those life size dolls were creepy.

The name Bullseye and the voice calling him sounded familiar. Where had she heard that name and voice before? She pondered over this briefly until she remembered the old friends that she had never met before.

"Hey Bullseye," Jessie greeted, leaning over to whisper in his ear. "How about we stop you for now? And later tonight when everyone's asleep we can race up and down the hall. Because the bedroom's a bit crowed now. Okay?"

Bullseye nodded and slowed to a stop. Just as Jessie got off Bullseye, Woody came running up to them.

"I'm so sorry about him!' Woody began anxiously, feeling completely mortified and angry with Bullseye for beating to the punch. This was not how he had wanted to meet Jessie. "It's just that he was really excited about meeting you," Woody continued, but paused when he saw that Jessie was just looking at him and then he began to worry. What if Jessie didn't know about Woody's Round Up? What if, by telling her about it, she didn't believe him and thought he was just a scalawag cowboy trying to pick her up? What proof did he have that Woody's Round Up was real and that they were from the same play-line? Well, their outfits did match, but that didn't prove anything!

"It's you!" Jessie said excitedly. "You're Woody, right? From Woody's Round Up?" Jessie asked. She had only seen him as a marionette on TV and from an illustration of him. It had been so long ago, but the toy in front of her looked so much like him.

Woody's face brightened as the anxiety left him.

"You know about me and the Round Up?" He asked her, feeling like this was too good to be true.

"Of course! I used to watch the show on TV when it was on air in the fifties. I've always wanted to meet you," Jessie said, then quickly added something else so that Woody wouldn't think she had a crush on him or anything: "And the rest of the Round Up gang," She said, ruffling Bullseye's mane.

"Stinky Pete the Prospector is here too," Woody told her.

"Really?" Jessie asked him.

"Yeah," Woody answered.

Then they just stared at each other, taking one another in. They had both felt a rush coursing through their plastic when meeting each other. Jessie's eyes were so much greener than Woody had thought they'd be. The picture of her he had seen before hadn't done her justice enough, as she was much prettier - no, 'beautiful' in person.

Woody was taller than Jessie thought he'd be. He was taller than her and he had such nice chocolate brown eyes. He looked much handsomer as a doll than a marionette or as an illustration for that matter.

Bullseye found himself not liking what was happening. He wasn't sure why, but he just didn't like the way Woody and Jessie were just staring at each other. So he did what any horse would do; he snorted, breaking Woody and Jessie out of their trance.

"I should introduce you to Pete," Woody quickly said.

"I'd really like to meet him," Jessie told him.

Woody resisted the urge to take Jessie's hand, afraid of getting overly familiar with her.

"By the way," Jessie began as they walked over to where Pete was. "I promised Bullseye that later, when everyone's asleep, I'd ride him up and down the hall. That is okay, isn't it?" She asked him a little worriedly. After all, Bullseye was Woody's horse and not hers.

"Of course it is. My horse is your horse," Woody rambled.

"Well howdy there little lady!" Pete greeted.

"Howdy!" Jessie replied.

"Looks like Bullseye here gave you quite a ride!" Pete commented slyly.

"I'm really sorry about that," Woody said again.

"It's okay," Jessie told him. "It was really fun! In fact, it was just what I needed."

…

Buzz was extremely unhappy. He did not like almost being run down by a toy horse. This room was in near chaos with wild stuffed animals running all over the entire place. Some toy needed to take charge and that toy was him! But first he needed to have a talk with that cowboy toy that Rose seemed to like so much. He was sure that the horse 'belonged to him.' Where did that cowboy get to anyway? Buzz eventually asked himself, pondering in thought.

…

"Let me show you guys something," Jessie insisted. "Let's see. I think I saw the old woman put it on the bottom shelf," Jessie murmured to herself as the three other western toys followed her.

"Wow!" Admired Woody. "A Woody's Round Up record player!"

"And that's not all," Jessie told them, holding up a record book. "Look, Woody's Round Up adventure story records!"

"I've never heard of those before," Pete admitted as they looked at the record sleeves.

"Have you heard them?" Woody asked her.

Jessie nodded.

"Are the stories different from the show?" Woody asked.

"You bet!" Jessie answered enthusiastically.

"So then 'Woody's Finest Hour' isn't on any of them," Woody muttered rather disappointedly.

"Sorry," Jessie told him.

"Ahem," Buzz said from behind them.

Turning around, Jessie, raising a painted eyebrow still trying to figure out what kind of toy he was, asked: "Can one of us help you?"

"He can," Buzz stated, pointing to Woody.

"Me?" Questioned Woody.

"Does this animal belong to you?" Buzz asked.

"Yeah, he does," Woody told him.

"Then why don't you have him under control? That beast nearly ran me over!" Buzz yelled, making Bullseye huddle behind Woody in fear.

A/N I'll stop here for now. I hope you all like this so far. A/N


	4. Old meets new

Toy Lore.

I don't own Toy Story or its characters; I do own any and all original characters.

"Well, not on purpose," Woody said calmly. He didn't blame Buzz (or the weird looking space toy as Woody thought of him) for being upset. No one liked to be almost run down - it can be very disturbing indeed.

Woody's (or the sheriff doll as Buzz thought of him) nonchalantness irked Buzz even more. Where was the apology? "If you can't control that animal, then I will be taking it away from you!" Buzz warned as though Woody was a toy child.

"Now wait just a minute!" Woody exclaimed, pulling himself to his full height. "You can't threaten to take my horse away from me!"

"Yeah," Added Pete. "Just who do you think you are?" Buzz looked shocked. They didn't know who HE was? Where had they been living? Under a rock? Surely the girl must know who he is, he eventually told himself.

"I'm Buzz Lightyear, as I'm sure you must know," He said to Jessie.

"Mister, I'm still trying to figure out what kind of toy you are," Jessie told him, not liking how he was threatening to take Bullseye from Woody.

"I'm a space toy!" Buzz yelled, feeling completely frustrated.

"You sure you ain't a yelling toy?" Jessie asked him. Before Buzz could respond, Jessie continued. "Look. I was the one riding Bullseye."

"Yeah, and I saw how that came about. Like I said, that animal is out of control. This whole room is out of control. Now I am in charge here-"

"Now listen here, you tinhorn!" Jessie said to Buzz.

"Don't call me a tinhorn! You Amazon!" Buzz didn't know what 'a tinhorn' was, but he was sure it was some kind of insult.

"Do I look like I'm wearing a bathing suit and a tiara to you?" Jessie asked him. "Now. If anyone's in charge around here, it's me!"

There was something within Woody that made him want to argue with Jessie about who was in charge of the room, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"I've been here since the nineteen fifties and I doubt my friends are going to listen to you. But you are right though, the room does seem kind of chaotic," Jessie agreed. Then, as if on cue, Jill came running over in panic.

"Jessie!" Jill exclaimed urgently.

"What is it?"

"You remember the potato heads, right?"

"What about them?" Jessie asked her.

"Well, they're toys now and made of plastic."

"I hope kids don't eat them any more," Jessie muttered.

"Jessie, you're not listening!" Jill interjected, sounding even more urgent.

"That's because you haven't told me anything," Jessie stated, trying not to sound nasty. She couldn't help but start to get a little bit annoyed with Jill though. She loved Jill like a sister; but, like a sister, Jill sometimes got on her nerves with her moody teenage ways.

"Maybe I could help you?" Buzz asked, trying to sound heroic.

Jill looked down at Buzz before saying, "Go away little boy! I don't have time for you!"

Pete merely chuckled at Jill's error, finding the whole situation rather humorous indeed.

"Jill, what's wrong?" Jessie asked her, crossing her arms.

"Mrs. Potato Head wants to adopt Ginnette and Jimmy!"

"Tell her that if she wants to adopt them, then she has to adopt you and Ginny as well," Jessie told her calmly.

"What about Jeff?" Jill asked her.

"Tell her that Jeff is optional."

"Right," murmured Jill, running back to Mrs. Potato Head.

The others looked at Jessie questioningly as her advice to Jill had made no sense to them in the slightest.

"Ginny, Jill, Ginnette, Jimmy, Jeff and Jan where all made by the Vogue doll company," Jessie began to explain. "Now Ginny, Jill, Ginnette and Jimmy were marketed as being a family. You know, siblings?"

"That makes senses," Admitted Woody. "But why did you say Jeff was optional?"

"Because Jeff was marketed as being either Jill's 'friend'," Jessie began, making quotation marks with her fingers. "Or Ginny's big brother!" Jessie said the last part brightly.

"Oh," Murmured Woody, Buzz and Pete together.

"Talk about your awkward Saturday nights," Woody muttered.

"Jeff makes out all right,"

At Jessie's comment, Woody felt something unpleasantly lurch inside him, thinking that maybe there was something between Jessie and this Jeff doll.

"Like a regular Luke and Princess Lela," Buzz commented.

"Keep your vulgar slang to yourself please!" Jessie said, not knowing what Buzz had actually meant, before walking away.

Woody and Bullseye quickly followed her.

Pete chuckled once more before saying to Buzz, "I think she likes you." Now, Pete had meant that as a joke - but Buzz hadn't known that and Pete's statement had sent Buzz's thoughts skyrocketing. He had never had a girl 'like' him before. Well - no girl he knew of anyway. It was a kind of a nice feeling and the cowgirl doll sure had a pretty yarn full of hair. But what was her name?

"So you're really the leader here?" Woody asked her, hoping she wouldn't think he was calling her a liar.

"Well, sort of," Jessie admitted. "I mean, I was never officially elected the leader of Melissa's toys."

"Melissa?" Woody questioned and Jessie inwardly cursed to herself. She hadn't wanted to mention Melissa; it was so painful talking and thinking about her - not to mention the questions that she knew were sure to follow, they were bound to ail her. It was best to just make the answer as short as possible.

"Melissa was the little girl who used to own us," Jessie quickly said, hoping that Woody would just leave it at that. Thankfully, he did. Woody knew how painful it was to talk about past owners.

"So how did you become the unofficial leader?" Woody asked her.

"Well, with little girl dolls, teenage dolls, baby dolls and stuffed animals, someone has to keep the pace and that someone just happens to be me," Jessie muttered simply, murmuring the last part with a long awaited sigh.

"You don't sound too happy about it," Woody couldn't help but say.

"It's not that I don't like being the leader," Jessie told him meaningfully. "It's just - it's not always easy or fun."

"Yeah I know, I've been there," Woody said as he resisted the very strong urge to wrap his arm around her. It really was a good thing that Bullseye was walking in between them as they walked and talked.

"And now with all these other toys here," Jessie began. "And the way that the space toy acted like he was the leader of Rose's toys."

"Acted is right," Woody began and then went on to tell her about how he and the others, including Buzz, had just been bought for Rose.

"I know he was, tinhorn," Jessie said. "But I'm sure one of these other toys must be leader of Rose's toys." Suddenly Jessie felt very overwhelmed. With her own little group, she was fine. They trusted her and listened to her, but how would the other toys feel about her being a leader? And how would her friends feel about some other toy leading them? Maybe the best thing to do was to just lead their own groups?

Woody watched Jessie tug on her braid as she looked around the room at all of the other toys. He guessed that she must be getting overwhelmed. Truth be told, he'd be feeling frustrated too if he had been in her position. With new toys also coming into the room and a new owner (he presumed that Rose was Jessie's new owner), he didn't question why. New owners were always so hard to get used to. Just when you learn to love them, they give you away.

But now was not the time to dwell on that. The most important thing he needed to do now was to think of something he could do to help Jessie out, even if she didn't want it.

"Say," Woody began. "How about a staff meeting? You know, we can have all the toys gather around so that we can all meet each other."

"Now that is a great idea," Jessie told him. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Probably the thrill of meeting me has left you a bit senseless," Woody teased.

Jessie gave Woody a funny little smile, which made something inside Woody flip-flop in a pleasant way. They stared at one another until Bullseye snorted.

"I guess we should get everyone's attention," Woody said.

"Oh, I can do that myself," Jessie claimed before putting two fingers in her mouth and whistling loudly. "Excuse me everyone!" Jessie called when they all stopped what they were doing to look at her. "Since a lot of you are new here, it'd be a good idea if we all gathered around and introduced ourselves."

The other toys murmured in agreement and walked towards her, Woody, and Bullseye.

"Howdy, I'm Jessie and welcome to Rose's new room."

"My turn!" Said Ginny brightly. "Hi, I'm Ginny! And this is my big sister Jill, my baby sister Ginnette, my baby brother Jimmy, Jill's friend Jan, and last but not least Jeff - my sometimes big brother!"

"Thank you, Ginny," Jessie said as Jeff put his face in his hands and shook his head. "Who wants to go next?"

"I will! Hi, I'm Little Miss Revlon. But you all can call me Revey."

"My name's Muffie."

"Okay Ginger," Jessie whispered to the blond little girl doll. "It's your turn now."

"No!" Ginger whispered back to Jessie, trying to hide behind her legs. "I can't. There's too many."

'_Poor Ginger,_' Jessie thought. '_She's still so painfully shy._' So Jessie introduced her and the critters. Woody was next, introducing himself and the Round Up gang. The Potato Head's followed, and then Slinky Dog, a piggy bank who insisted he is called Hamm, followed by a green T-Rex, various Barbie and Ken dolls and more stuffed animals.

"Buzz," Mira whispered to him. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Huh?" questioned Buzz who had been lost in thought. "Yes of course, not that we need one," he said confidently. "I'm sure you all know who we are," Buzz addressed the toys.

"Well I don't, tubby!" Mr. Potato Head said.

"Buzz Lightyear and Princess Mira Nova!" cried the green T-Rex with glee as he ran towards them. He gushed over them with fan boy enthusiasm, asking questions that none of the other toys could even understand as he did so.

"Are you supposed to be blue?" Ginny asked Mira.

"Ginny!" cried both Jessie and Jill.

"It's all right," Mira said, not upset by the question at all. "I'm blue because I'm supposed to be an alien."

"You mean from outer space?" Ginny asked the alien princess toy, wide eyed.

"No. She mean's from under the sea, dummy!" Muffie snapped.

"Muffie!" Jessie cautioned in a warning tone.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Um…excuse me?" came a voice from out of nowhere.

"Ghost!" cried Ginger, hugging Jessie's legs in fear.

"No, no. I'm not a ghost, I'm up on the nightstand," It was the Bo Peep lamp. "I'm Bo and I hope we can all be great friends," She greeted before winking at Woody. There was a BAW beside her. "And these are my sheep."

"Scary sheep!" Ginger exclaimed when she saw the three ceramic sheep stuck together. Ginger hugged Jessie's legs so tight that it made the cowgirl fall backwards.

_'Somebody somewhere give me strength,'_ Jessie thought silently to herself.

A/N Jeff's doll history is completely true, I'm not that sick. And Rex is a total fanboy and magic cake to anyone who know's what Jessie meant when she asked if it looked like she was waring a bathing suit and tiara! A/N


	5. Let the game begin

Toy Lore.

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own all and any original characters.

Once Jessie was able to convince Ginger that the sheep weren't going to hurt her, Ginger let the cowgirl go and hid behind Tammy the bear.

"Well," Jessie began, "Now that we all know each other, I guess the thing to do is…"

"Pick out a leader," Buzz said, interrupting her.

"Jessie's our lender," It was Ginny who had said that. The fearless, friendly Ginny - as Jessie had always seen her.

"Well Dr. Barbie is our leader," Said Dr. Ken, as if to challenge the little girl doll.

Jessie and Dr. Barbie looked at one another. It was clear to the both of them that neither doll wanted to fight the other.

"I guess we should have a talk," Suggested Jessie, trying to sound friendly.

"Or," Began Buzz, who still really wanted to be the leader of the toys. "We could all elect a new leader?"

"What?" Questioned Jessie, clearly shocked. Someone else? Leading her friends? That just wouldn't work. Ginger was painfully shy; Muffie was difficult; the babies were fussy; the three teenage girl dolls were moody; Jeff had issues; Rupert wouldn't listen to anyone but her; Tammy would swipe at you with her paw if you annoyed her too much; Twitchy was hyper; Mother Goose gets offended easily and would pitch up a fit; Lilly could be sulky at times, and Ginny - well, nothing really bothered her. She was always so happy-go-lucky.

"I think that's a wonderful idea!" Said Dr. Barbie. "I don't mind stepping down! What about you, Jessie?"

"Well I…," Jessie began, looking at her friends to see what they wanted her to do. They all shook their heads. Jessie realized that it would be too much of a change for them. It was hard enough getting used to new owner as it was, but a new leader? That would be even harder for them. "I guess I'll stay in the running,"

"I nominate myself," Buzz said. "After all, we can't have a woman running things." And with that said, Buzz lost the election before it had even started. The girl toys out numbered the boy toys and most of the boy toys knew better than to vote for him. It wasn't that Buzz was a chauvinist; it was just that the boy who had previously owned him had been and some of his ideas had rubbed off on Buzz. So, obviously, he just didn't know any better.

"Woody," Whispered Pete. "Don't you want to be leader?"

Of course he did. He thought that this was down right obvious enough to him, but he wanted to be friends with Jessie more and he felt that if he tried to become leader, it would do something to damage that developing friendship.

"Well, if no one else wants to be leader, I guess we should vote then," Jessie said. "All in favor of Buzz, raise your hand, paw or hoof." Only Rex raised his hand, leaving Buzz very shocked.

_'Mira must have voted for me too,'_ He thought.

"All in favor of me?" Everyone but Buzz and Rex raised their hands.

"Mira!" Buzz proclaimed, shocked when he saw that she was voting for Jessie. "This-this is mutiny!"

"And what you've been spouting is chauvinism and that's against Star Command's regulations!" Mira shouted at him.

"I'm your commanding officer!" Buzz stated very firmly. "You have to vote for me!"

"Maybe so, but I'm a princess and as a princess I have to act in a way that I think is best for the people. And Jessie 'is' best for the people!"

"Very well Princess," Buzz said angrily. "But I'm reporting this to Star Command!"

"Fine! Go right ahead!"

Jessie turned to Woody and whispered: "They do know they're toys, don't they?"

"You never can be too sure with space toys," Woody whispered back to her. "They get confused sometimes."

Jessie nodded in understanding.

Before anything else could be said, the sound of Rose's happy footsteps could be heard.

"Places everyone!" Jessie called as she and the others ran back to their spots.

Rose came skipping in, looking at every single one of her toys in anticipation. She walked over to where Buzz and Mira were.

_'Finally, the girl has come to her senses and will play with me,'_ Buzz thought, only to be disappointed when Rose picked up Mira.

"Your hair's a mess," Rose commented to the space princess doll. _'Don't I know it!'_ Mira thought back. Since the day her box had been opened, she hadn't had her hair brushed once.

Rose plopped herself down on the floor and began to brush Mira's hair. As she did so, she pressed one of Mira's buttons.

_'Princess Mira Nova to the rescue!'_ The doll sounded.

"Oh, you're a princess!" Rose said excitedly as the wheels of her imagination began to turn. "Huh?" She suddenly questioned, as if someone had just called her name. She began to look around, lifting herself to her feet in the process.

'_It's starting again,'_ Jessie thought, distressed.

Rose made her way over to the toy shelf where the Woody's Round Up record player and records were.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Rose called, looking at the record player.

"I'm coming, Sweetie," Called Will, eventually nearing the room. "I know. You want your TV," He said, coming into the room carrying a Hello Kitty TV/DVD combo.

"No, Daddy,"

"No?" Will questioned, putting the set down and walking over to her. He put his hand on her forehead exaggeratingly. "You don't feel warm."

"Daddy, what's this?" Rose asked, showing him the record player.

Will did his best to explain what a record player was to Rose, ending it by saying; "The record player is the grandmother of the CD player."

"How does it work?" Rose asked him. "I want to hear a record."

Will showed her how to use the record player and, since it was meant for a child, it was very easy to use. Will left the room as Rose happily listened to the story adventure records.

Mira, on the other hand, was not so happy when she saw what she thought were large clumps of her red hair in the toy brush. Was Rose going to brush out all of her hair, leaving her bald? What Mira didn't know was that most dolls had more hair than they really needed.

"There," Rose muttered once she was done. "You're Princess Mira and you rule the kingdom!" Rose then picked up Buzz. "He's your loyal knight! And he's also in love with you!"

Rose's statement filled Mira with joy. Rose was going to make Buzz fall in love with her! Even if it wasn't real, they'd still have love scenes together - kissing scenes, maybe! And then maybe, just maybe, Buzz would start to feel something for her!

Buzz, on the other hand, found himself feeling rather embarrassed. He and Mira as lovers? They were friends and what would Jessie think? Didn't she like him?

"But," Rose continued. "Mira is in love with Sheriff Woody!"

Hearing that made Jessie suddenly feel very sad, but she wasn't sure why. Rose was surely going make Woody love Mira too, Jessie guessed. Maybe that was why she was feeling sad? She didn't want Woody to have a love interest that wasn't her. And the worst part was she didn't know why she even felt like that!

"But," Rose went on to say. "Woody and Jessie are happily in love with each other!" That nearly made the two western toys break character. "And Jessie is Woody's deputy too!" Jill was made the royal sorceress, who was very wise, very beautiful, and very powerful! Revey and Jan where made Mira's spunky ladies in waiting; Mrs. Potato Head was re-named Mrs. Spud and was a poor window with Jeff, Ginny, Ginnette, Jimmy, Ginger, Muffie and Bo as her children. Pete was made her father. All of 'Mrs. Spud's' 'children were hard working, except for Bo who was a vain girl who didn't like to work, which was mainly why she often lost her sheep.

_'I'm not like that at all!'_ Bo thought, not liking in the least who Rose was going to portray her as.

Mr. Potato Head would be the villain trying one way other another to take over the kingdom, as well as force Mrs. Spud off of her land and other bad things to add to it. Rex was his henchman-dinosaur. The other toys were assigned roles as well. And then the game began.


	6. Whole lot of awkward

Toy Lore.

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own all and any original characters.

Toy Lore.

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own all and any original characters.

Rose placed Woody and Jessie on Bullseye, picked them up and then hopped on Nelly and pretended to ride.

"Hurry up, Woody!" The cowgirl exclaimed in impatience. "The princess is waiting for us!"

"Don't tell me to hurry - tell _Bullseye_!"

"Faster, Bullseye! We can't keep the princess waiting!"

Rose then hopped off Nelly and scurried over to where she had left Buzz and Mira.

"Oh, what could be keeping them?" The Princess questioned to herself in worry, fearing something bad might've happened to them.

"My Princess," she made Buzz say. "I'm sure they will be here any minute."

"But what if something's happened to them? What if they were held up by bandits?"

"My princess, if bandits did try to rob them, then Woody would arrest them. He is the Sheriff after all."

"And what a wonderful Sheriff he is, too!" Mira said, dreamily. "So tall, so handsome, brave and strong. Don't you think so too, Sr. Buzz?"

"Yes, my princess," Rose made Buzz say sadly.

"Announcing Sheriff Woody and his deputy Jessie," Rose said.

"He's here! I must go to meet him!"

"Princess, please take my hand and I will lead you to them."

Rose picked up the two space toys and made them walk over to where Woody and Jessie were.

"What's the trouble, Princess?" Woody asked, concerned.

"There's no trouble. I called you both here to tell you I'm giving a ball!"

"A ball! Oh, what am I going to wear?" Jessie probed in panic, cupping the sides of her face with her hands at the control of Rose.

Rose pulled Woody's pull-string. "_There's a snake in my boot!_"

"Then we'll just have to get you a new one," Rose had Jessie say.

"I want you to tell everyone that the ball is open to everybody! Is there anyone you'd like to ask to the ball, Woody?" Mira was made to ask.

"That's right! I better beat the rest! Jessie, will you go to the ball with me?"

"Of course I will, Woody!"

"Come on! Let's go tell everyone about the ball!"

Rose settled them back on Bullseye and had them ride off to the distance.

"Woody is taking Jessie to the ball," Mira muttered, sadly. Rose then made the doll run off to her bedroom. "Boo hoo! Boo hoo!" Mira cried. Rose picked up Jill and said poof.

"What's the matter, Princess Mira?" Jill asked.

"Woody is taking Jessie to the ball!"

"You mustn't cry."

"But I love him! And he doesn't love me!"

"Love is going to come knocking at your door."

Rose knocked on the floor.

"Come in," Mira said.

"Princess?" The newcomer began, clearing his throat.

"Yes, Sr. Buzz?"

"Will you go to the ball with me?" He asked, genuinely interested on hearing a positive answer in response to this.

"Oh yes, of course! Now please go, Sr. Buzz. Jill and I are talking about true love."

Rose was now heading back to where she had left Woody, Jessie and Bullseye.

"The Princess is giving a ball!"

"And everyone is invited."

"Oh, how nice," Commented Mrs. 'Spud'. "But the babies are too young for the ball. One of us will have to stay home and watch them."

"Not me!" Exclaimed Bo. "I want to go to the ball and dance with all the handsome men!"

"Now, now," Said Pete, soothingly. "I'll stay home with the babies."

"Are you sure you don't mind, Daddy?" Mrs. 'Spud' asked him.

"Of course not! I'm too old to go to a ball and dance." Rose then pulled Pete's pull-string. "My biscuits are burning!"

"You better turn off the oven, Grandpa," Muffie said.

"Haha!" Mr. Potato Head laughed. "While they're all at the ball, I'll kidnap the babies and I won't give them back unless Mrs. Spud gives me all her land!"

Rose then went about changing her dolls into dresses for the ball. She picked up Mira and Jessie.

"I can't change your clothes," She said to the dolls. "So I'll look for dresses to fit over you."

Mira and Jessie weren't sure how they felt about that. Neither doll had nothing against dresses of course, but they hadn't been made to wear other clothes and dresses as of yet, and - well - they were action girls, not fashion dolls. Nevertheless, Jessie had to admit that she always had admired Jill, Jan's, and Revy's lovely dresses. Mira, on the other hand, was feeling overwhelmed; she's never had this much attention before.

Rose found suitable dresses for them both.

_'I hope nobody laughs at me,'_ Jessie thought. _'I know I look ridiculous!'_

_'I hope Buzz will think I look pretty in this,'_ Mira mentally wished. _'I've never worn a dress before.'_

Rose hummed a tune as she made the different toys dance with one another.

Mira felt like she was in some kind of dreamland being Buzz's arms as they play-danced. However, Buzz wasn't sure how to feel. He wasn't used to being played with like this- not meaning that he didn't like it, though. After all, he was a toy and being played with is what brings a toy's life together.

It really wasn't that embarrassing for Woody and Jessie. So they were in each other's arms? - It was more like a hug than anything else. And there's nothing wrong with hugs. Jessie loved giving and getting hugs. And, also, they'd already met so it wasn't as though they were complete strangers to each other.

It did, however, become very awkward when Rose decided it was time for the kidnapping. She dropped Woody and Jessie on the floor, with Jessie landing in a heap on top of Woody. They could do nothing but just look at each other. Woody was comfy where he was at least, finding himself studying the details of Jessie's face.

Rose picked up Mr. Potato Head and Rex.

"Okay, T-Rex, my pet, keep Grandpa Pete busy while I steal the babies!"

"Raw!"

"What in Tarnation? There's a T-Rex in my kitchen! Get it away from my freshly-packed biscuits!"

"Haha! Those babies are mine for the taking and soon this land will be mine, too!" Mr. Potato Head exclaimed triumphantly, taking Jimmy and Jeannette away.

Rose then picked up Pete and made him sprint over to the 'castle'.

"Help! Help!" Pete cried, desperate

"What's the matter, old timer?" Woody asked, his tone of voice showing concern.

"Mr. Potato Head kidnapped my grandbabies!"

"Oh no!" Cried Mrs. 'Spud' in alarm.

"He left a note saying he'd give back them for our house and land!"

"But, Mommy, where will we live if you do that?" Asked Bo.

"I don't know, but I have to get my babies back!"

"Don't worry - we'll get your babies back for you! Right, Jessie?"

"Right, Woody!"

"Sorry we have to leave your ball early, Princess Mira," Woody said.

"That's okay! Good luck!"

"Rose, honey!" A voice abruptly intercepted. "It's dinner time!" Her mother called to her from the doorway.

"Okay, Mommy." The little girl replied, getting up to her feet and leaving her room.

Once she was gone for definite, the toys came to life.

"Don't anyone dare laugh at me." Jessie warned.

"Now, why would anyone laugh at you?" Woody asked, trying not to giggle.

"You think I look ridiculous in this dress, don't you?" Jessie asked him, her hands planted on her hips.

"No-no," Woody stammered, waving his hands about. "You look as pretty as a picture." The Sheriff toy chuckled slightly. He really couldn't help himself; Jessie's sewn-on clothes could be seen through the knee-length pink dress.

"I'll give you something to laugh about!" Jessie said, a smirk widening on her face as she captured Woody in a headlock. Unsuspecting of this, he was quite defenceless as Jessie started giving him a noogie.

"Hey! Stop that!" Woody protested.

Buzz watched them, thinking that what they were doing looked like some kind of mating ritual, which left him feeling slightly confused. Didn't Jessie like him? Maybe Pete had been wrong after all?

"How do I look, Buzz?" Mira asked him.

Buzz looked at her: She was wearing a blue, strapless gown that showed much of her Star Command uniform beneath the material

"You look ridiculous." He told her truthfully.

Mira couldn't hide the hurt she felt as it welled up inside of her. So she ran from him. Halted in their actions due to witnessing the entire event, Jessie stopped her little 'attack' on Woody and turned to Buzz.

"You hurt her," Jessie said.

Buzz's face began to contort in panic. "No!" He cried out, quite alarmed. "I never laid a hand on her! I would never!"

"You hurt her feelings, Buzz," Woody told him, point-blankly.

"Sometimes that's worse than being hit," Added Jessie, warily.

"I-I never meant…she's my...how do I…?" Buzz was at a loss at what to say and at what to do. All he could piece together was the fact that he had hurt Mira, and it made him feel as though a heavy weight of some sort was crushing him because of it. Mira was important to him and he had hurt her.

"I'll go talk to her," Jessie said. "Woody - would you…?"

"Sure," He replied, warmly. He knew Jessie wanted him to talk to Buzz, so agreed instantly.

Woody wasn't sure what to think of Buzz now, but he could tell Buzz needed a friend. So he felt like it was his duty to go and talk to him about what had just happened.

"I'm not really a bad toy," Buzz said to Woody once Jessie had left to have a conversation with Mira. "I care about Mira and I would never hurt her on purpose."

"I'm sure of that," Woody told him, honestly. "But telling her she looked ridiculous wasn't the best answer."

"But I couldn't lie to her, could I?"

"No," Woody said slowly. "But girls are different than guys."

"I know," Buzz interrupted. "They're curvier."

"Well, yes - there's that. But, also, they don't like being told that they don't look good."

"How do I make it up to her?" Buzz pondered on this thought, clearly befuddled.

"When she's not wearing a dress, tell her that she looks nice." Woody suggested.

"Do you think that would make her feel batter?"

"I think it would."

…

Jessie found Mira by Rose's bed.

"Hey, howdy, hey," She greeted.

Mira looked at her, but said nothing.

"Buzz didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"Of course not!" Mira blurted out, bitterly. "He doesn't even know I have any feelings!"

"He seemed really upset when Woody and I told him that he'd hurt your feelings. And the two of us do look silly wearing these." Jessie said, referring to the dresses.

"At least your guy was able to tell you nicely."

"Woody's not my guy," Jessie quickly intercepted. "We just met."

"Looks like he will be soon,"

"So Buzz is your boyfriend, then?" Jessie asked, changing the subject.

"I wish," Mira said, glumly. "Buzz barely knows I'm a girl - much less of how I feel about him."

"Have you tried telling him how you feel?"

"I've tried so many times to try and find out how he feels about me, but it never works. Maybe I should just give up on him?" Mira suggested, sounding utterly depressed.

"You can't do that!" Jessie proclaimed, taking her hand. "There ain't nothing worse than a quitter! You've got to tell that toy how you feel and, if he doesn't feel the same way, then remind yourself that it's his loss and move on!"

"You're right!" Mira came to the realization. "I'm going to see this through to the end!"

A/N Glad I updated this one. So I got in some Buzz and Woody bonding and some Mira and Jessie bonding. A/N


	7. What Lurks In the dark

Toy Lore

I don't own Toy Story or it's characters, I do own all and any original characters.

"But first you ought to make him suffer a little bit for telling you that you look ridiculous," Jessie said, smirking slighting.

Mira grinned. "Oh, believe me, I will. It's high-time Buzz Lightyear learns that this toy has feelings and how what he says effects them!"

"Good for you!" Jessie said cheerfully.

"Jessie," Mira began seriously. "I want you to know something. Buzz really isn't a bad toy. He is a very caring friend and he's always been there for me" Mira trailed off and looked at Jessie uncertainly. "Jessie? Can I confide in you?"

"Of course!" Jessie told her sincerely.

"I was the only girl toy my old owner had and he didn't really like girls so I was never played with as a capable female, but as a dumb damsel in distress who needed to be rescued by Buzz," Mira said, sounding almost bitter.

"Is that how you started to like him?"

"No," Mira said. "When I…when I was first opened, I-I didn't know I was a toy."

Jessie just looked at her, not quite sure what she was hearing. Woody had told her that space toys get confused sometimes and she had witnessed Mira and Buzz acting weird during the leader choosing, but still... Not knowing you're a toy? It seemed so unbelievable.

"Buzz was so kind to me in helping me understand that I was a toy. The others made fun of me, but he never did. He was sweet and understanding. He never faulted me for it or brought it up in my face. He's never treated me like I'm an idiot and, for the most part, he does treat me as his equal."

"For the most part?" Jessie asked.

"Technically, Buzz outranks me. Even though we are toys, he is my commanding officer and sometimes it goes to his head. You know, this is nice."

"What is?" Jessie asked, bewildered.

"Having someone to talk to. What, I mean, having another girl to talk too. I've never had that before. I've never even had a friend who was a girl."

"Well, you have one now," Jessie smiled, hugging her. "Now, come on, it's time to teach that Space Ranger of yours a lesson!"

…

"Mira," Buzz began when she and Jessie had returned. "I…"

"Forget it, Buzz. You obviously have more fashion sense then I do," She said offhandedly, her tone cold. Before Buzz could say anything else, Mira turned to Jessie and began chatting about how she thought the game would go.

Buzz turned to Woody and whispered,

"I think Mira might be mad at me."

"Yeah, that would be my guess too."

Buzz frowned. This was the first time Mira had ever got mad at him. Also, for the first time, her attention wasn't directly on him. It wasn't that Buzz minded Mira making a new friend, he just didn't like not being a part of it.

Well, he resolved, he could make new friends too! He turned to Woody and smiled awkwardly.

" So you, been a toy long?"

"Yep, since the nineteen fifties. You?"

"Since the nineteen nineties. Had my own TV show."

"Really?" Asked Woody. "Me too!"

"Mine was cartoon show called 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command."

"Mine was a puppet show called 'Woody's Round Up.'

"Wow! We were both stars of our shows."

"Yep. Jessie was in my show. So were Bullseye and Pete."

"Mira was in my show. I never met the other toys that were in my show."

"Wow, we really have a lot in common," Woody said, smiling. "We both had our own TV shows; we both have female red-headed sidekicks."

"Sidekicks?!" Jessie and Mira prompted angrily, causing Buzz and Woody to take a step backwards.

"Co-stars!" Woody quickly said. "Beautiful, beautiful red-headed co-stars!"

"That's better," Jessie said, sounding pleased.

"Take lessons from him," Mira told Buzz.

"You want me to learn how to ride a horse?" He asked her.

Mira could only sigh and shake her head.

…

Rose came back and continued playing with the toys.

"Okay, Grandpa Pete," Woody said. "Tell us what happened."

"A T-Rex broke into the kitchen and ate my biscuits! And when I was trying to stop him, that evil Mr. Potato Head kidnapped my grand-babies!"

"Well, one thing's for sure," Jessie muttered. "That T-Rex sure did make a mess of the kitchen."

"It'll take forever to clean!" Ginny said.

"Not if we all pitch in and help," Jeff told her.

"I'm not going to help!" Bo distanced herself. "I didn't make this mess, so I'm not cleaning it!"

"Never mind, Bo Peep!" Mrs. 'Spud' said.

"Rose! Time for your bath!" Elsie said.

"I have a feeling playtime is over for the day," Pete said with a sigh.

"I'm sure Rose will play with us plenty more tomorrow," Jessie assured him.

….

Jet-lag began to overtake little Rose. Her father, Will, carried her to her bed.

"Where did all these toys come from?" Rose asked.

"They belonged to your great aunt Melissa."

"I have to thank her," Rose said.

"You can't do that sweetie," Her father told her. "She died a long time ago."

"Was she very old?" Rose asked, yawning.

"No. She died when she was a little girl."

"How did she die?" Rose asked her father, morbid curiosity taking over her.

Will looked at Elsie for a moment before answering.

"She was playing by the lake all by herself with no one watching her and fell in and drowned."

"Oh," said Rose, sadly.

"Which is why you have to promise never to play by water without me or Mommy watching you."

"Okay, I promise," Rose said. She quickly fell asleep.

_'I was there,'_ Jessie thought sadly. _'And I couldn't save her.'_

Jessie awoke from a nightmare. She sat up from the floor where Rose had left her. Woody was asleep a few inches away from her. Jessie reached out to wake him, but stopped herself.

_'What am I going to say to him?That I had a nightmare and I want him to sit up with me? What will he think of me? Besides, I should let him sleep.'_

Looking around the room, she saw that Jeff was awake. Jessie got up and walked over to him. They smiled sheepishly at each other, both knowing the real reason they were both awake.

Unbeknownst to Jessie, she'd woken Woody up. He spotted her walk over to Jeff, and frowned.

_'I guess she does have a boyfriend after all,'_ Woody thought sadly, unable to understand why.

The next day after breakfast Rose played with her toys once again. Woody, Jessie and Bullseye had just caught up with Mr. Potato Head, when he sprung a trap on them. Rose pick up the three Western toys and put them in a drawer. Only it wasn't a drawer.

"Laundry shoot!" Jessie said as they began to rapidly slide down the shoot.

They tried to not yell, but it wasn't easy. Woody and Jessie had grabbed onto each other's arms hoping somehow it would slow them down. It could have been almost fun if it wasn't pitch black making the toys feel like they were falling into an endless void of nothingness.

"Does this thing ever end!" Woody asked.

"It should end when we reach the basement! Whenever that is!"

"How do you know?!"

"I was thrown down here once a long time ago!"

Finally, the laundry shoot ride ended and they all fell into a hamper filled to the brim with bed sheets. Woody somehow ended up top of Jessie. Both their eyes widened in shock, but before Woody could get off her, Bullseye landed on him hard making his head slam against hers.

Their lips met.

'_Ahh!'_ Woody thought, panicked. _'I-I-I-I'm kissing her! I have to stop this! I have to apologise to her! I-I-I should not being enjoying this as much as I am right now!'_

'_My first kiss! My first kiss! My first kiss!'_ Jessie chanted over and over in her mind with glee. '_I think I like it! I think I like him!'_

Bullseye looked around frantically for Woody and Jessie before realizing he was on top of them. He jumped off Woody and head-butted him, making him roll off Jessie. Bullseye happily licked Woody, unaware of the awkwardness in the air between Woody and Jessie.

Slowly they both sat up. Jessie suddenly realised that the kiss has been an accident and that Woody most likely hadn't meant to kiss her ever. Woody had no idea how Jessie would react.

"Gee, Woody," Jessie began lightly, hoping to break the tension. "If you wanted a kiss, you should have just asked."

"I thought it would be more fun to surprise you," He joked lightly as well. "Jessie?"

"Yes?" At first, she sounded almost hopeful.

"I'll explain things to Jeff if you want. You know...about the kiss?"

"Jeff?" Jessie said confused. "Why would you tell him about our kissing each other."

"Well, wouldn't you feel guilty not telling him?"

"Woody," Jessie began slowly. "I think we're trying to put horse shoes on the wrong horse. What are you talking about?"

"Isn't Jeff your boyfriend?" Woody blurted out.

"What?" Jessie asked shocked. "No, Jeff's not my boyfriend! What gave you a crazy idea like that?"

"Last night I saw the two of you sitting together."

"Oh," Jessie said. "Neither of us could sleep. That's all."

"So then, you don't have a boyfriend?" Woody asked, hope soaring through him.

"Nope. What about you?" Jessie asked him a little flirtatiously.

"Do I have a boyfriend?" Woody asked laughing.

"Do you?" Jessie asked, grinning as she leaned forwards towards him. Part of her was hoping Woody might kiss her again.

"Nope." He smiled at her, and started shifting towards her.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No girlfriend either. You?"

"I'm quite single," Jessie told him.

_'I can change that,'_ Woody thought devilishly to himself, but before he could say anything Bullseye decided to plop right down in between them and ask for a bully rub.

"Oh, Bullseye, what am I going to with you?" Woody asked shaking his head.

"I'd say give him a belly rub," Jessie said just doing that. Woody joined her. "Melissa always hated coming down here..."

"I heard what Rose's father said about what happened to her-Melissa," Woody began. "I'm sorry. I can't imagine what it must be like to lose an owner like that."

"I don't want to talk about it," Jessie said quickly, biting her lip. "Please, don't ask me about what happened to her," There was so much pain in Jessie's voice that Woody found himself wanting nothing more than to hold her in his arms and comfort her.

He didn't.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," Woody said.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just hard talking about what happened to her."

Woody placed his hand on top of hers.

"I hope Rose comes down and gets us soon. I hate this basement as mush as Melissa did," Jessie told him, shivering.

"How come?" Woody asked.

"It's just so dark and creepy down here. Melissa was always afraid a goblin was going to jump out at her. I guess I was always a little afraid of that too," Jessie admitted.

Before anything else could be said, something did jump out at Jessie, knocking and pinning her down. All three toys screamed. Woody and Bullseye both jumped up, ready to fight off whatever was attacking Jessie.

It was the biggest and fattest black cat Woody and Bullseye had ever seen.

Jessie looked up into the cat's face. Big golden eyes met her green eyes. The cat then smiled at her the way a human would show off their sharp and point teeth.

"Thomas," Jessie said softly recognizing the strange cat.

A/N Been awhile since this baby's been updated! I love cats, I really, really do. A/N


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